Payday loans in Quebec
If you've searched for a payday loan from Montreal, Sherbrooke or Gatineau, you've probably noticed most lenders don't serve Quebec. There's a good reason.
ICCE does not refer Quebec residents for payday loans. Quebec's consumer protection rules don't allow lenders to charge more than a 35% annual credit rate, and a payday loan at $14 per $100 works out to roughly 365%.
Quebec's position
- Payday loans
- Not licensed here
- Rate ceiling
- 35% APR (Criminal Code)
- Who to ask
- Office de la protection du consommateur
Confirm with Office de la protection du consommateur.
Safer options for Quebecers
| Option | Why it's safer |
|---|---|
| Your caisse or bank | Ask about a small personal loan, an overdraft increase or a line of credit. All are capped at 35% and usually cost far less. |
| Fonds d'entraide Desjardins | Desjardins' mutual aid funds offer free budget consultations and, in some cases, small loans to people with no other access to credit. |
| ACEF budget counselling | Associations coopératives d'économie familiale help households build a budget and negotiate with creditors, at no cost. |
| Licensed instalment lenders | Lenders holding an OPC permit can offer instalment loans at up to 35% a year. Check the permit on the OPC website. |
Are payday loans legal in Quebec? Not in the form they take elsewhere in Canada. Quebec limits the credit rate a licensed lender may charge to 35% a year, and the province doesn't have a federally designated payday regime. A typical two-week payday loan costs about ten times that, so licensed payday lending isn't available. Quebecers looking for small, fast credit usually turn to instalment loans, credit unions or budget counselling.
Why Quebec is different
Quebec took a different path from the rest of the country. Instead of licensing payday lenders and capping their fees, it set a firm ceiling on credit costs under its Consumer Protection Act and requires lenders charging high-cost credit to hold a permit from the Office de la protection du consommateur. Since the federal criminal rate also fell to 35% in 2025, the two limits now line up.
The result: you won't find licensed storefront payday lenders in Quebec, and online lenders licensed in Ontario or New Brunswick can't legally lend to you either.
Watch for lenders who ignore the rules
Some websites will still offer "payday loans Quebec". Treat them with caution. A lender charging payday-style fees to a Quebec resident is breaking the law, which also means you'd have little protection if something went wrong. The most common scam is a request for an upfront "insurance" or "guarantee" fee. A real lender never asks for one.
What to try instead
Small instalment loans from licensed lenders are available in Quebec, usually for larger amounts and longer terms, at rates under 35%. Your caisse or bank may offer a small personal loan or line of credit. And if the problem is a run of bills rather than one emergency, an ACEF (Association coopérative d'économie familiale) offers free budget consultations across the province.
Quebec city guide
Montreal guideWhat Montrealers can do when a bill can't wait for payday.Questions from Quebec
Can I get an online payday loan in Quebec?
Not legally from a licensed lender. Quebec's 35% credit rate limit rules out the payday loan model.
What's the maximum interest rate on a loan in Quebec?
Licensed lenders in Quebec can't charge a credit rate above 35% a year, which matches the federal criminal rate since 2025.
Who should I contact about a lender in Quebec?
The Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC), which issues permits to lenders and handles consumer complaints.
Our Quebec guidance was last checked in October 2026. The OPC is the authority on credit permits in the province.